Poll of the Day > Any Cruise experts on here?

(+) Yeah! (+)

I do not like flying long distances (just discovered this).

It makes my feet swell up a ton and is painful. It's also seriously uncomfortable for my back, and while I could pay for first class to have more space, it's seriously expensive to do so.

But I would really like to visit Europe, especially England (Might even want to move there).

I just went on my first cruise and while there where some things I didn't like (the buffet for instance blew, but the seated dining was fine.).

Few problems I see with using a cruise to visit Europe though.

First, at least for cruises here, it's double occupancy...which would mean paying for 2, even though it's just me. That seems crazy expensive.

Second, even if I'm just visiting, I would like to get off there and explore for awhile before coming back. Not sure if you can do that (go on one ship, return on another, or the same ship at a later date).

I flew for 7 hours the other day and hated it. A direct flight from seattle to London is 9+ hours....and I would absolutely hate that (at least I had a 3-4 hour lay over on the flight...although the second flight was about 5 hours).

First class to Europe, one way is about 11k$ + I am not paying that!!

Have not looked at the cost of a cruise yet, since it wouldn't work unless I could say over there (or did 2 one way cruises or something.

Anyway, does anyone have any experience traveling to Europe without spending tons of money...and possibly avoiding a 9+ hour flight?
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I've flown from Vancouver - the same nine hours you'd take. You can walk around on the plane, plus you get to see Iceland from the plane. If you pick a seat beside empty ones, sometimes you get lucky. I got two empty seats beside me on my flight to Japan. Kicked off the shoes and had myself a lay-down. Also, how are you going to get to New York? Take a plane and then a week-long ship ride?

Whatever floars your boat, man.
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Well, I called royal Carribian and I can take a cruise out of Texas for $4000 (for the room, if I had someone travel with me to split it, it would only be $2000).

That is a one way cruise, and it leaves april of 2019...there is not a return ship until Sep 2019 5 months later.

That would give me enough time to explore europe and see if I want to live there:)

I would take a train or drive to Texas to avoid the flight (really don't like them).

Cost of a first class ticket to Europe is $11k (one way), and over $1000 for a non-first class.

I know you can get up and walk around (Which I did not do because I didn't want to bug the people in the seats next to me and I had a window seat).

In future flights I would take an aisle seat so I can get up easier. I will also check my bags so I don't have something under the seat in front of me, giving me more leg room. I'm going to try hard to avoid future flights though.

Seems like basically the same cost though to cruise as to fly, but you get to spend a ton of time on the ship and at ports etc. I'm retiring so....time isn't a problem. I just don't know if I want to retire in the US or in England yet.

A bit worried about choppy waters though as we had some even on the 4 day cruise (the last night many people got sick and most could not sleep). I imagine it's worse when you are out in the pacific ocean.

Still at least it gives me an option. One way cruises do exist, and it's not much more, or possibly cheaper then flying!:)
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This might help you out seems like some of the cruise lines cater to one person travelers

https://www.cruisecritic.com/articles.cfm?ID=419
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Hmm, thanks for that link Mead. It looks interesting for future cruises, though probably not the one to Europe.

Actually talked to a friend on the way to my doctors appointment and he is totally down with going on the cruise and kickin it in Europe for 5 months. We would split the cost that way, so it would be far cheaper then flying.

Might either rent a place to come back to in Europe, or just find accomidations as we go (or both).

Might spend like a month in England for instance, rent while there, then Air B n B it wherever we go from there.

Checked out AB&B prices and you can get places as little as 20$-40$ a night pretty easy. Add in all the family I have in Italy and possibly (if I can find them) in Kirkham England.....and split the cost with my friend and it'll be cheaper then living in the states for the same period:)

Looking at the whole trip, it would possibly be only about $5-6k total....each of course. Not including food and transportation there etc. That is significantly cheaper then just living here! (and all food would be covered on the cruises as well, which would be over 1 month all together).
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Do you have a fear of flying? Because that really seems like the only explanation for why you would forego the convenience because of a few hours of uncomfortability.
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Try NCL if you are looking for Studio cabins for Ocean cruises.
Emerald for River.
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Not a fear, but it really does suck. I have a bad back, which I have to be really careful of, and it's not really easy to do on a long flight. luckily it didn't go out, but it was close, and then I found my feet swelled up a ton. Read up on how to possibly avoid that better next time, but shrug, I will only fly ifI absolutely have to (more then an hour or two at least).

Also it's expensive, a cruise is about the same price, but....well you get the cruise as well lol. So I could fly for 9+ hours and be really uncomfortable, or I could take a 13-15 day cruise, stop a few places along the way, have yummy food etc, and be comfortable...for the same price (possibly less).

The cruise sounds like a better deal to me!!
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wolfy42 posted...

Not a fear, but it really does suck. I have a bad back, which I have to be really careful of, and it's not really easy to do on a long flight. luckily it didn't go out, but it was close, and then I found my feet swelled up a ton. Read up on how to possibly avoid that better next time, but shrug, I will only fly ifI absolutely have to (more then an hour or two at least).

Also it's expensive, a cruise is about the same price, but....well you get the cruise as well lol. So I could fly for 9+ hours and be really uncomfortable, or I could take a 13-15 day cruise, stop a few places along the way, have yummy food etc, and be comfortable...for the same price (possibly less).

The cruise sounds like a better deal to me!!

You aren't the only person who has problems with flying. I met a woman a couple of years ago that had to take bus to her destination because her doctor didn't want her to fly with her messed up knee (the pressure on take off and landing would make the knee condition worse). While the bus and/or cruise takes hours and/or days longer, you have a better chance of walking around every so often than you would on a crowded airplane with all the crying babies, etc.

Yeah, my blood pressure is better with all the pills, but for whatever reason, flying does not agree with me. At least with driving (Also not good for very long periods), I can stop and take breaks etc and stretch my back.

I could do that on the plane if I get a better seat in the future, and I will do that, but i'd rather just avoid the whole thing. Don't think it was just not getting up (As I flexed my legs and constantly shifted etc) that caused my feet to swell so much.
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England's pretty nice, and it would be an adventure. I was there for a month and I saw the entire UK, plus France. I got so sick of seeing castles after the first two weeks that I couldn't see another one. It would probably be a good time.
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Lol, yeah, I'm more of a landscape/nature lover then a building lover to be honest, but there is plenty of that to see as well.

Main reason I want to go is to hunt down my relatives (my last name is Cummings which is very common). The were/proably are in Kirkham England but try as I might I could only track one of them down (David Cummings) to a resteraunt/hotel he worked at about 15 years ago or so (as a chef) but then the trail went cold.

If figure if I go there physically I might have at least a chance of finding them.

I might seriously consider living there if I do, or maybe even if I don't. I love tea, Fish and Chips and many other things, and the weather is perfect for me.

Don't really have my heart set on anywhere in the states. Was considering Alaska actually (may go with that if I don't move to England), since I like cold weather.

Need to at least visit before I make a decision, but....If I do a cruise and am there 5 months, I'll have plenty of time to look around and figure out where I want to live....or if I want to live in Europe or not.

Should be able to teach there I hope, if I decide to work again, but even if I can't, I still can program and I still have my electronic techs degree, so I would have options. Could always cook as well (love to cook), or do something else less stressful (like run a book store or something I guess).

Gotta figure out what I wanna do with the rest of my life. I could live for another 40 years or so.......might as well enjoy them.
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